Devices and methods for assisting individuals when donning and removing socks

ABSTRACT

Devices and methods for assisting individuals when attempting to don or remove a sock, shoe, or other garment from their lower extremities. Such a device includes a base having a longitudinal central section, two flanges along oppositely-disposed longitudinal sides of the central section, and oppositely-disposed distal and proximal ends. The central section and the flanges define a trough that is open at the distal and proximal ends and along a longitudinal side of the base opposite the central section. A handle is coupled to and extends from the base. The handle is rigid and comprises arms attached to the base and a crossmember that connects the arms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/851,124 filed May 22, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to devices for assisting individuals with limited flexibility or dexterity. The invention particularly relates to a device for assisting an individual when donning or removing a sock, shoe, or other garment from their feet.

Individuals with limited flexibility or dexterity may experience difficulties when leaning forward or bending to the side to don or remove a sock, shoe, or other garment from their lower extremities, such as their feet. While various devices have been produced to address these issues, there is an ongoing demand for improved devices capable of assisting individuals in these activities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides devices suitable for assisting individuals with limited flexibility or dexterity when attempting to don or remove a sock, shoe, or other garment from their lower extremities.

According to one aspect of the invention, such devices include a base comprising a longitudinal central section, two flanges along oppositely-disposed longitudinal sides of the central section, and oppositely-disposed distal and proximal ends. The central section and the flanges define a trough that is open at the distal and proximal ends and along a longitudinal side of the base opposite the central section. A handle is coupled to and extends from the base. The handle is rigid and comprises arms attached to the base and a crossmember that connects the arms.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of using the device described above includes placing the sock over the base by inserting the distal end of the base through an opening of the sock, continuing until the sock covers at least a portion of the base, the opening of the sock is near the proximal end of the base, a toe of the sock is near the distal end of the base, and the sock encloses at least a portion of the trough formed by the central section and flanges of the base, donning the sock by inserting a foot of the individual through the opening of the sock near the proximal end of the base and, while the sock and the opening thereof are held open by the central section and the flanges of the base, passing the foot through the opening of the sock and through the trough formed by the central section and flanges of the base until the sock is fully on the foot, and the removing the base from between the sock and the individual so that the sock remains on the foot.

Technical effects of devices as described above preferably include the capability of assisting individuals when donning and removing socks, shoes, and other garments from their feet.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be appreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a device and a stand for the device in accordance with a nonlimiting embodiment of this invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 represent front and side views of the device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 3 represent a nonlimiting embodiment of a device 10 for assisting an individual when donning or removing a sock, shoe, or other garment from their foot. The device 10 generally includes a base 12, a handle 14, and an optional stand 16. The base 12 has a scoop-like shape with a longitudinal central section 18, two side flanges 20 along longitudinal sides of the central section 18, a distal end 22 opposite the handle 14, and a proximal end 24 adjoining the handle 14. The central section 18 and flanges 20 define a trough or channel that is open at the distal and proximal ends 22 and 24 and along the longitudinal side of the base 12 opposite the central section 18. Arms 26 of the handle 14 are shown attached each flange 20 of the base 12, with a lower crossmember 28 of the handle 14 secured beneath an upstanding flange 30 of the stand 16.

During use, a sock (not shown) may be placed over the base 12 by inserting the distal end 22 through the opening of the sock, and continuing until the sock covers at least a portion and more preferably most of the base 12, the opening of the sock is near the proximal end 24 of the base 12, and the toe of the sock is near the distal end 22 of the base 12. In so doing, the sock also encloses at least a portion of the trough formed by the central section 18 and flanges 20 of the base 12. Thereafter, an individual may don the sock while it is installed on the base 12 by inserting their foot through the opening of the sock near the proximal end 24 of the base 12, and while the sock and its opening are held open by the central section 18 and flanges 20 of the base 12. In this process, the individual's foot passes through the opening of the sock and through the trough formed by the central section 18 and flanges 20 of the base 12 until the sock is fully on their foot, after which the base 12 can be removed from between the sock and the individual's leg so that the sock remains on their foot. Although the invention will be described hereinafter in reference to donning a sock with the device 10 shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the invention are more generally applicable to other types of applications, such as, but not limited to, devices for donning shoes and other garments adapted to be placed on or around an individual's leg or foot.

The drawings represent the base 12 of the device 10 as formed by multiple adjacent planar portions that form the central section 18 and flanges 20, although other configurations are foreseeable. Preferably, the base 12 is tapered and sized such that the size of the opening of a sock installed on the base 12 is determined by the location of the sock on the base 12. For example, the device 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3 is configured such that the opening of a sock has an initial opening size when the sock surrounds the distal end 22 of the base 12 and, as the sock is moved along the base 12 from the distal end 22 toward the proximal end 24, the size of the opening of the sock gradually increases to an opening size that is greater than its initial opening size. In the embodiment shown, this gradual increase in the size of the opening is achieved by an increase in the widths of each of the central section 18 and flanges 20 of the base 12.

As noted previously, the handle 14 comprises two arms 26 that are attached to the flanges 20 of the base 12 at the proximal end 24. The crossmember 28 of the handle 14 can be employed as a grip portion connecting the two extension arms at ends thereof opposite the base 12. The arms 26 are preferably attached to the oppositely disposed flanges 20 of the base 12 in order to not create an obstruction to the opening of the trough at the proximal end 24 of the base 12, as well as promote an even distribution of the weight of the base 12 on the handle 14. It is foreseeable that the handle 14 and the base 12 may be integral components, or separate individual components coupled by any suitable means, such as but not limited to welding or fasteners.

During use, the handle 14 provides an individual with an extended reach such that the base 12 and a sock located thereon may be placed near their foot with less bending and/or leaning than would otherwise be necessary. Preferably, the handle 14 is a rigid body in order to promote ease of control when donning a sock with the device 10. The crossmember 28 of the handle 14 may be oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of the base 12, the arms 26, and/or the opening of a sock during use of the device 10 to further promote ease of use. As shown by the embodiment in the drawings, the flanges 20 of the base 12 have rounded or chamfered edges adjacent the distal and proximal ends of the base 12 to reduce the likelihood of damage to the sock and/or injury or discomfort to the individual during use.

If included, the stand 16 is preferably capable of removably coupling with handle 14 and holding the base 12 in an upright position (relative to a surface such as ground or a floor) in order to allow an individual to pick up the device 10 with limited bending or leaning. FIG. 1 represents the stand 16 as including a base 32 to which the upstanding flange 30 is attached to define a cavity therebetween that is sized and configured to removably receive and hold the crossmember 28 of the handle 14.

While the invention has been described in terms of a particular embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the configuration of the device 10 and its components could differ from that shown, and various materials and processes could be used to produce the device 10 and its components. As such, it should be understood that the above detailed description is intended to describe the particular embodiment represented in the drawings and certain but not necessarily all features and aspects thereof, and to identify certain but not necessarily all alternatives to the represented embodiments and described features and aspects thereof. As a nonlimiting example, the invention encompasses additional or alternative embodiments in which one or more features or aspects of the disclosed embodiment could be eliminated. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to any embodiment described herein or illustrated in the drawings, and that the purpose of the above detailed description and the phraseology and terminology employed therein is to describe the illustrated embodiment, and not necessarily to serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims. 

1. A device for assisting individuals when donning a sock, the device comprising: a base comprising a longitudinal central section, two flanges along oppositely-disposed longitudinal sides of the central section, and oppositely-disposed distal and proximal ends, the central section and the flanges defining a trough that is open at the distal and proximal ends and along a longitudinal side of the base opposite the central section; and a handle coupled to and extending from the base, the handle being rigid and comprising arms attached to the base and a crossmember that connects the arms.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stand configured to releasably engage the crossmember of the device and hold the device in an upright position.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the arms are attached to the flanges of the base and do not create an obstruction to an opening of the trough at the proximal end of the base.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the central section and the flanges are each defined by a planar portion.
 5. A method of using the device of claim 1 to assist an individual when donning a sock, the method comprising: placing the sock over the base by inserting the distal end of the base through an opening of the sock; continuing until the sock covers at least a portion of the base, the opening of the sock is near the proximal end of the base, a toe of the sock is near the distal end of the base, and the sock encloses at least a portion of the trough formed by the central section and flanges of the base; donning the sock by inserting a foot of the individual through the opening of the sock near the proximal end of the base and, while the sock and the opening thereof are held open by the central section and the flanges of the base, passing the foot through the opening of the sock and through the trough formed by the central section and flanges of the base until the sock is fully on the foot; and removing the base from between the sock and the individual so that the sock remains on the foot. 